B52s | DEVO
O2, London
20th June 2026
Quirky titans of early-days-MTV B52s and DEVO bring their respective eccentricity, via their Cosmic De-Evolution Tour, to London’s O2 for a very special and nostalgic evening.
For anyone who has never been to the O2 before, for some of us it will never stop being the Millenium Dome, purpose-built to house the Millenium exhibition – then later recommissioned as a music and entertainment centre, with London’s largest arena at its centre. A gobsmacking amount of money was spent on the recommissioning, and the acoustics. However, the sound is rarely not echoey and vacuous – something to do with the rafters, apparently. Tonight, sitting almost at the back and far from the action, it’s hard to feel completely immersed – but Devo and B52s do their best to draw us in. (Sorry to miss The Rezillos and Lene Lovich, hopefully another time).
Tonight, the O2 is mainly exhibiting red hats, dotted across the vast audience. Totally justified: DEVO’s entire performance is, as expected, thoroughly enjoyable. From the second they arrive on stage with the synth energy of 2010’s Don’t Shoot (I’m A Man), it’s a slick, beautifully produced set with trippy visuals, seamless costume changes and, it has to be said, the sound’s not bad considering where we are. Every song sounds fresh, not at all dated, messages that don’t change over time: “No matter what they say / There’s way too many problems”. All wrapped up in their inimitable punk pop style. And red hats.
Like Kraftwerk and other proponents of robot rock, DEVO’s message has always been on the bleak side; that the human race is regressing, devolving. What’s always set DEVO apart, though, is the underlying satirical humour they weave into their songs. That also really comes across tonight.
Original members Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale deftly run through Girl U Want to Peek-A-Boo, and Going Under to Mongoloid – sounds from deep in the Seventies that still sound current, still relevant. Whip It is disposed of surprisingly early in the set. They end with Freedom Of Choice, stunningly ahead of its time and a pertinent anti-fascist message. It’s up to us to sort it out, basically.
Over to the B52s party, and their first appearance in the UK since 2019 – “Hello London….we are going for a history lesson” – launching straight into their 12-song set starting with Cosmic Thing followed by Mesopotamia. Fred Schnieder’s voice and performance are as familiar as your favourite old t-shirt, every nuance, expression still the same.
From very early on, it’s clear that Kate Pierson is very much the backbone of the band – voice unchanged – surely she cannot be 78 – prowling the stage, flicking her scarlet hair. Cathy Simpson, in contrast, seems quite reserved – there’s very little light on her much of the time, she seems to be hiding under a hat and scarf. It is summer, we have a heatwave, she must be boiling. But the light finds her for a couple of duets with Kate; they belt out a convincing Roam, true highlight of the show. More highlights follow with Private Idaho and the inevitable Love Shack – pretty much everyone is up and dancing by this point. Quite right.
They end at the very beginning – Planet Claire, with that addictive Duane Eddy bassline, and first ever single Rock Lobster – for which, of course, a giant lobster arrives on stage.
It’s been a fantastic, sweaty, dance-y (for some), dazzling trip down memory lane with these shiny happy people; B52s filling the Dome with their singular, glorious surf rock, and DEVO whipping it and, if comparisons have to be made, shining just that tiny bit brighter.
~
Words by Naomi Dryden-Smith: Louder Than War |Facebook |Twitter |Instagram |portfolio
Photos also by Naomi Dryden-Smith from a point and shoot, with apologies. No photos were taken at this show other than by Getty, which sites like ours cannot afford to buy.
All photos copyright, please do not use without permission – contact Naomi at naomi@louderthanwar.com
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief